Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 1465, 13 December 1879, Page 22

Laddie

" e '' In five'chaptiees. „ 'SVUI& oiii'tl 6lf ! -.<!> vi dL*. it. J. k i "' ' ''< « w a!« .. , i (flm*** mmu?a&<i-)~^ o or: r i- ■• qeeb t. hut ' 'iv.t'JOj ifo-ib i v.i iv. • hwwt oiQ b(fl!wufM» dV. .;<>• //,• d • ''■' ; eiS^fe^ {J?» G^rteri opened? his <door next ! gggri^ulg jle;|p.^nd hyjimother's 'room em'pty> tifcjßeei^ejLalmOßt .(is if j.the 1 events of' rthe jasket of. apples. .and -the .bandbox, still ■ 'ufWAotteS handkerchief,f,oon r jaWfefoileotton^anetiWli.en he went i AWSWpmift^stifo^nla^ritinglt'ifcle; KiditMlf mm Q iiy; WaV'h'is mother ? .i^H^^iSryiats 'could^teirliim Wainthat ;jihe^(h'id found 1 her ! bedroom door pptufScHeniJthiy/oame'down in. th*e r mornuig> tod tbjejcfron£Jdolof4'in£bacred{ and' unbolted, *WlJffl»tfljftSiall. i n-jrfvr vj;F» yt-toa h.-u'f" -j fcß M^h ( e,hasifgon.e.«b«,Qk litojSann:ybr'ook,f?/.he1 itojSann:ybr'ook,f?/.he gM ,^ hJj^e^jwAthruartVwy. ;sore 'heart ; %BWd'*M;a d g'elj;ei \o M^^vo m&m eiven her rignt iland to keep my little nncer Iwi^acßng?, 0 Gtoa'foJgl^nW'for wounding fefiNbriv*^ oid"heart r !'; l! I £^wflFgß :anß ' feiflng to*T^k4*ffi^#ai' i ttß^re i ad# i to r fofgiVe a me nSriyfb«f6rdP*peak;" J;on " si> w>w i-^ni-.ii -^ ni -. i JjaHeilcfok^d at lthe^ traitf Jpaper; and found tfaerejjDW mv ejrly^Tsldw traimtyiwhioh' his mother mustj^ye» gpneji andean express-that fiKff^iiSlfi^^cpfe fl». hQWVsJwd reach W#s>8 I W!M JBP,W^pf » an n^k^arr^geifente , toh^enj(»gsmen.jkß, and Bebte9^^fitt r aWiflmLfedH^ Be 1 would 1 cofiie 'to "her 1 immediately' on liia retnrn, for hSSMdi^mWoH. 1 tio^eVancL'exi pHUL dtT&erc*b>v^'§"at ; tho dbor to'take Him ti*d<fcfcj»ns&tl9ni»tad' everything^w as teady; ■tf§fhfl JwKgiving.'hii: last' directions to' Mr 'Mstyfriil omiti* -iHiSMMi .-i r..A:i'ui 'jr.thl '* " I shall be back to-morroW,-Jlyd&v with? ont i|iLMd ; I shal^fbrteg "ttiyi'motiherjwith wXuli All i©florti« &Qw JufttdCl' JlltXtSßiXr *QT } ,wu6 MsH* "tnaroMa^ !n'p' l intQ'K Q face, 'bnt'.h'e went o^fcraW-^tnaWffia'y motner who Was fiefe^figl ffigHV^nrnb^m^n 'ever u fiad ( "a better." _ t . nil tfonjfc'ih'oiv how itiiap'p'engd,'' but every-thinsp«eefn«dit«)sy-ttirv^ th'at'-niorning ; ; for b|ftdßflii^?> Hyd&ribeiorii he ftne'w what he sng .anj. ih^Aefe^iitialjipo^to iHyde*, whose respect had always -.pejan/usUghtly «mtom*te?^afM aima f^shav^ -a p.m .j Jj;l^^«rtei>^elt> r a- f Btr«nge, dreim-likefeel-; ing** iw<ffst~Mito-ith6c]l,bli Everyone «ntt «?e>g^WtelX«'™ w d changed;. arfdbhe^could flot|tns](§ ilkfltitjeWftiJ H^det seemed soxaei ininginore than an excellent seryanfcnplt nnYf qavl uOfiinQ. jijvder J!nfi4-Bun6 Inmj6r&u£% able pereondis" before^ ang^ epjsjo.de, of h*ndt^ki|g,»fad exorewie d sympathy ,not bembiUfMgd J PbI^ tJ Itw^airifling «Uei mnWm.nQo^WM inxfeTy and mother at Sunnybrook, nor did she arrive 1 b'y L eithw X)tth*.train« th»fc!follow^d the one hfc/janjftUy^tKSu'gh.hfefiTalted ihef urrival of Bevetall(l4ii64faNb>ixSb4Jiea«ame: tbaok'to, Lan^QgHfliJpl^njj #fltn^hadi[gone oni'the w^Qng fci^jbut o c/)ni|oj#n"gi ( hinia^lf:i;withi QB^Bf@™i~s$ c iPWife'^W fßß'iftfe^JiSteWmo^dßfflgt nil it was not so easy »s Be expeoted ; the most artful r jnd experienced .criminal, fescap/pg* f rßml jnrtloSf cbuld 'not 'iave s tono $ 'work more skllifenV'ih*n ( t^e J pld' woman did : quit6 ; imaWiS^Hy? >'All'hiff ; inquiries' were fruitlgf»^h«4iad> nbi bejon-Beeb- or noticed' a£» Vaddiiigi»n\ bxsneiiof uihe 1 'honses' or' -shop's a^ofttrhift^bfienl open oiijaitiriat l that ,early. morning hour^f>i)ncd he,[tho»ght!.he-.hdda; clue . ba|4fe9anje jtft nothing,,and» > tb:ed ( and police, wno undertook twitn great, connqence, to find the old woman before . another day wAatfiit. a" IJWT ' > iliV »iJ »-'-Ltc* i •tin* th*t hefOam^Hnto 1 J the 'pretty drying-room in mfley^/«4r<jet?f-Wh'er¥^ioleli ) 'Bp-rangup' from her low.o^iiiqby^theifire^'t'o "mcct r himi' pretty, cßhQilwaa/f howswe^t !/hbw elega.nt t jan4^Fl oe^ :l^ (fiTjec y Woyemeht and r look; ' «*ipiFi4ffl^S!fWii^s drpsf,! jjHis^eyes/iropk in , fyo^«S'Steil?Y/fißlX.>fi? ) one who;loqks ; his all conßoiouanießs „o|, j any other in the surpassing-beauty of .thie love for him' lS J Vef eye?; ;; fehe ! »tretcn'e'd out both her soft hVt^ds Vf'fym, 5 'the ring^he Had given-, h^H 3 the n 6nly drnameht-on them, and s»id; me s *to»ViV ij ' f " Il ' :( "f fllS v '•-'•»1'"» 1 '"- . . Dot not' yonlknow'aome.-voices. that have a cjtrflss^^in e^ery.woj?d^andficomfort in' every tone ? Violet Meredith's was such a voice. ,." BiloSj^ave, cjsnip tp>?-*hat,!' he: said, .*ndf he womd flotJjruAtfcbiraself ..to; takesthose hands • red oavea^among .the tglowing, coals., "I haye cSme taMl* you" about.my mother.' I hive' ! r-ad&iVWfliiS foMahW'oflKirfinptlieV,' de:' Borl'bing her '^ pliiinly;and' carefully • at he obuia,'. trying' to s^t-'ißlde e Very tbing fanciful oraßiotoresqueiHandp yetYdb'^QflticffitO' thel kind, simple, old heart, trying to Brake. Yipjgtjtfte' thefjgMnfodifferencß, between the o^.poW^ i woman : iandvhe?self.r;.And..th,en,. l»e(* ( »siiW r #itftffi h AyiP.S 9 on A e ntp^-hkß,.to could not* ask- you. tp.<live,,wlth ,her," ,be efi'dfiarwuiiy- ''": ' '" , " * round Ws arm •ffyf&pfarWvnaf-imlir a : Sw,da^s' since she' bfcd fi'»a : t6 hiSe »Wa;y heVlove/like a* stolen tre»uM, { Wt'6f rfght. -.I- <«'«•" i * "v-< ' -« " It is too late to think of-thst/'ishe said,' wjthjsl-iittle 1 coaxing- laugh ;'! too late; for you a*ked meuWqbe. your, wife a week, ago.' %cp (t John,' -ntboj name.,- ; came atjill with a J llttle jbeßitatj.pn-7j beBitatj.pn-7V r a whole i week ago, and 1 wilt' not let yon off. , y And, then, I have no mother of my own; she died before I can remember; and it will 5 be so nice 1 to have one, for she wlllifke'mTfor you? sake, won't •hot?>)x;And -wh*t'doe« it matter' ivhat sh« v is

mother, and ; that is. quite -enough for me. And don?t yqu think I love you more ridiculously than ever because you are so good and noble and f true to yo,ur old mother, and are not ashamed of. her ' because she is not just' fex'fictly' like other people ? " And she laid her abft cSeet against his sleeve, by ker clasped -hands} l as ' She spoke. •■'■"•■ "f But' he drew away with almost a' shudder. "Love >me 'less, then, Violet ;hate me, for I was ashamed of her ; I was' baae f and cow--ardly/ahduntrue, and] I' wanted; to get' 1 her outjpf athtfway.ißO'.thM: no' one. should know, not even youj and' l .hurt- and- wounded |her —her, who wbuld have done anything,fpr,her .' Laddie,' \ s&\ sne'. '/calls me-^and .'she went away 'disappointed and' sad'and sorry, and I cannot'fimi her.)'"' "''(',".' '".',' '" „ - ' "' Ifi^had sunk' down into, Violet's low chair, and 'covered' 1 vp 11 * his 1 face witti His hands', : arid J thr6ugh! ! thV^finge^ 'forced 5 their way hot, burning tears, 1 while he told of His ineffectual' efforts to findther, and his shame and 'regret. ... -'. <;■ '■• \ •>. ' . ;. •■> „ - She stood listening, too; pitiful and sorry for, words,' longing to , comfort ;hiin ; and at last; .she, knelt, down fnd pulled -his Hands gently y'awfty ,If rom i hja . f a,ce, f and» whispered y.eryj softly,, aa i£ ,^e might, n^t Jike .to, hear Ker ; vs l e v nis ' motner|iß" name 7 f p^ fcm, " c will fin^L / hei*, ' never fear ; " your . "mother and miiie,' Laddie!"' Anil so 1 she comforted nim--' : -' -V' 1 •'-' '.''■' ' ;tiAV :' ri ' <; , *• -What an awfuP^lao'e London I 6 (! Ido not mean awful in the sense int which the word isiused'-by fashionable young ladies, or schoolboys,", by whom ib.is applied indiHoriniinately.to a, "lark": or a- "bore," into w.hich two, classes r moat events ia life may, according ,. to^ them, t be, , diyi^d, i jind , coneldered equally^descf Iptive oi^udden death^ or anew bonnet. ,'' l use J it in its r real meaning, full of awe-inspiring fear and reverence as Jacob 'hai'd,- rt How drekaful'iß this place, ',' this gre'^t London, y^ith its 'million's of souls, With' 'its' : Btrane©- contracts of I- ribbed and poverty, 'business and pleasure,' learning and ignorance; and; .the x sin every whereV Awful indeed J: land the thought would be.over-whelmingi.'in-itsjawfulness if M we.,, could not Bay s alsp as Jacob' did,. M Surely/ the Lord- is in this place, and I knew it not," if w ( e did nojb.inow ; jthere . is .the^ ladder set .lip reaching ;toj; toj Heaven, ancl^ 'the. angels of God ever "ascWding 1 and descending'; ' if we did not' believe 1 tKat'the^ord'iataiias', above, it. It Beamed a'veVy tefriblo plajje' to the' old cbuhtfywoman she wandered : about 'its streets 5 and squires, its parks* and that dayj-too dazed and. stupefied to' form; any plan Joe fherself , ; only 'longing to get^utof eight, that, Bhe might not shatoe feer boy.j^Sfeo, felt r.nq^itterneaß v against himj for^w^ jit .not natural, when he, was a i genitlemwi ,' and, she, /a.', poor, homely ", old ! ,e»r^ inorning, w%n the, streets ware empty, except' for; polioemen or late revellens, hurrying home, , or marketic»rts i c'dniuig (< inVf m? iW^dountry, ' with' 7 frbflty nioißture on >; the heaps '.of cabbigeiVshe got t M^mWWAti&m* tt«W W^o< ooffee°at in" early»-'c6fi'eeJstall, and no 1 one - took ' any 1 fi«Jtlce | isf ;f he^!some;of those .that-passed trfere f Jconntry 'people (too; and) at that, early [hour paioplelarensed'itofsee oddi: out-df-the.-. | way figare3, r ,that -w^uldibej staged; at/ in .the i hejght.rpf,; noon; /, But , as the , day wont.' on, I and the sfireejbs, , fiJledL. ,w| v th' ; Hurrying .people, and^tne '^hops opene^|.:an,4^ cjinnibusesjand cabs: Keaanjto^run, .and' Bhe got into more wSmti&Wtit? thWoughlaresf/an'd' was^hVs\i\l& and j; puShed j terrors' JJoJ r of J %Kii. "sltuatlotf came ; heavily ' upon 1 BW3V Skel tried to -enfioura^o' herself r with ! tiie"ttidughtithftt> before -long she^'should-get' out of^Lon'don andireachithe country, little. !knowing,-,p'oor old ;BOul,howoEpany ; miles of. |Btr^ets,i^nb.'opaeßv J 4nd.pftyements i ]ayjbe-i tw6eß,.^e»,^nd v the, merest p^etejaoe^to ,r,eaL Country.. } Ap^.then, .too,,,!!! that n>aze of. another, her vr&a-qt a mosj; devious^ Icm'actlr; 1 ;©^: dea'cri^g ! 'a '^rcle '"&$ [b'r^n'ging'iK^r back 'through tKe"same'B'treets v iwitVout'jine 0 ' old 'woman" knowing that she ;waV ! retracing 'her 'steps 4 ; sbmetimes a diffi[oult 6rogs'irig,i f with r an apparently • endless Uuc'oessiod of omnibuses' and carts, turned* her Ifrom' .heriiway — sometimes ,a quieterlooking street with the trees of a> square' shbwing at .th^Mend enticed her -aside. '.Once sheifotuaUy.jveat, up I^orth,(?redHon'street, unconsQiQusiKrand-iUnnoticed. ' ,Shereached> one of .the parks at, last, and, sat down vary jthankf ully; pix a seat; though; it 'was' ! clammy ; an ! d 'dampJ'Wnd' the' fog'was^urkipg. under jtlie gaunt,' *black tre.eßV and.han^ing overjthe !thin,' coarse* l gr^sßi which' waa' "being ! hibbled • |by dirty, B desolate sheep, 'who' looked to J the £ld woman's^ eye tf like some jhew«kind of animal/ not to be recognised , as ;belonging to, the' same speciea,as the.goft, fleecy, iwhlte nooks on the hill-sides 1 and meadowsof, Sunnybrook. She sat here a long tioie jresting, dozing, and trying to think. , *' I (don't want to trouble no one, or shame no. ;one. I. .only, want just to get out of the .way." '-'She. s was 'faint' '.and' ■"tired;' and' she jtfeought perhaps 1 she might 'be' going to die. ;" It's a bit'unked todie all' alone," and I'd liefer- have' died in my Ded comfortable-like ; but there! 1 it 'don't' much matter, it'll! soon be all over aridr an end- ta it all.-' tßut'no! ;that would not do either.; and -the,, old woman routed h,erself . and ; shook off the faiptness. s "..Whatever twbuld" folks say if pjaddie'B ; mother were fpund dead. like any*, (tramp in v tKe.road ?','He|d of sname r Jpretty' t neari to'hear'it In everyone's naouth." pPdor, old/ soul'l she little knew how people (oan'stafve^and their .hearts, snddi'e ior.wantof food6r : iove; in London,' and" no jonebe-'the' wiser or the sadder'. 1 ' "It was 'just th'en>she found out that her pocket had been picked;- or fatherthat.her purse w*b gone';, lor she did not wonder where' or how it went, and,, indeed; she did' not feel the loss .Very -acutely, . though, at home, ia the old days, she. bad turned the house upside down and^ hinted, highland low .and spared no pains, to .find a mis'ung halfpenny. ( It did not' contain' allVher , 'money, for with good; ;old:faßhioned caution, she, had some | notes sewed' up In her Btayp; but still it wa3 a serious loss, and- one ' she would have -made great moan'over In old times'. " She did not know' that the sight of 'her worn old netted purse, with, the rusty' steel.- rings, had touched a soft spot in a heart that for years had seemed ; too, dry and hard for any feeling., It,ha4 lain in the hand, of an. expert Ijpndon pickpocket; it waa mere child's, pUy ;t»ung,it r^iiiflld sot Require anyekxll.'

■rings, and he smelt ■ and looked at it, and then the old woman turned and looked at him with her country eyes ; and then all at once, almost in spite of himself, he, held out .the purse fo her. " Don't you see as you've! dropped your purse ? " he said, in*- a surly, angry tone, and finished with an" oath' that' made the old woman tremble and turn pale ;; and he flung away, setting' his teeth' and calling himself a fool. That man was not' all bad — who ia ? and his poor act of reetitu- , 'tion. is surely put to his credit in the ledger j of his life, and will stand there when the - books shall be > opened; ..: The old woman' got little, good from it, however, if or the : purse was soon taken by a lobb scrupulous > thief. • • . , , How cold, it waa ! The old woman! shivered and drew her damp shawl round her, and longed, oh ! how bitterly, for ths bid fireside, and the settle, worn and < polished by generations of shoulders, for ' the arm-chair with its patchwork cushion — longed, ah ! how wearily, for the grave by the churchyard wall, where the master rests free of all. his troubles, and where " there's plenty of room for I," and longed too, quite as simply and pathetically, for a cup of tea out of the cracked brown teapot. But why should I dwell on the feelings of a foolish, insignificant old woman ? There are hundreds and 'thousands about us whose lives are more Interesting, whose thoughts are more worth recording.. " Are not two sparrows sold for a farfching?" and yet, "Doth not God take thought for sparrows ? " then, surely so may we. Does He indeed despise not I ' the desires of such as be sorrowful? even though the sorrowful one be only an old, country woman, and her desire a cup of tea ! Then; why should we call that common and uninteresting which He pitifully beholds ? And we shall find no .life that ia not; full of interest, tender feeling, noble poetry, deep tragedy, just as, there is nobody without the elaborate system, of nerve's, and muscles, and veins with which we are fearfully 'and wonderfully made. j The early November dusk was coming 6a before she set out on her pilgrimage again; the darkness coming all the earlier for the fog. and the London smoke; and then; hardly, .caring, which way . she went', she turned her face eastward, not knowing that she waa making for ,the very heart of London. The streets were even more crowded and confusing than they had been in the morning, and the' gas and the lighted shops, and the noise,' and her own wearinesß; combined to increase her bewilderment. . > ! Once as she passed round the corner of a quieter street, some * one - ran" up ■ against her and nearly threw her down ; a lady, the old woman would :have described her, smartly,' even handsomely dressed,. i with a. bright colour on her cheeks, and glowing, restless, unhappy. : eyes', and dry, feverish llpp. She spoke a hasty word of apology, and then, all lit once, gave a sharp, sudden cry^amLgut her hauds on the old woman's, shbufdersi' and looked eagerly into her face. ' Then she pushed' her away with a painful,' little laugh.. ' " I thought you were my niother," she said. • ' " " No, I never had no gals;'' ' .<■:'' . " You're in luck," then, the girl said j " thank heaven for it." ;•'.,•-. , " Was your mother,, maybe, from the country ? " t. " Yes, she lived in Somersetshire ; .but I don't r even know that she's alive, and ,1 think she must be dead— l hope she is— l hope it." ' "■• ''■ ' ' There was something in the' girl's voice tttat'^told of more bitter despair than her words, and the old woman put out Her hand' and laid it on the girl's velvet Bleeve. - j ." My dear," ahe aaid, " maybe I ooiild help you." i • ). > . • ' H "Helpl" waa th 6 answer. '' I'm past that. There! good night; don't trouble, your kind head about me." - ■ - , And .then. the old woman went on again, getting into narrow, 'darker, streets,' with, fewer shops, and people of a rougher, poorer clasa; But it would overtax your patience and my powers to describe the old woman's .wanderings in the maze of London. Enough to aay that when,' an hour or two later; 'footsore and ready to drop, Bhe stumbled' .along a little street near Soho square, a woman, with a baby in her arms, uttered' a' ■loHoVory of, pleased recognition, and 1 darted out to stop her. ' .- ""'Why, it ain't never you! „ Whoever, Whoever would have thought of seeing you so soon ? arid however did you' find me out ? This is the honse. Why, there ! —there ! don tee ,cry sure ! dontee now '. You're tired out, :Come in and have a cup of tea. I've got •the kettle boiling all ready, for my-Harry 'llb'e in soon.", . ; It was the young woman she travelled with the day before— only the day befdre, though it seemed months to look back to ; only her face was bright and happy ( now, in spite of the fog and dirt about her, for had not her Harry a home and welcome for her, in spite of all her fears and people's evil propheoies, arid was riot this enough to make sunshine through the rainiest day ? Very improbable, you will say perhaps, that theße two waifs, these floating straws, should have drifted together on the great ocean of London life. Yes, very improbaible, well-nigh impossible, I agree, if it is mere chance that guides our way ; but stranger, more improbable things, happen .every day; and if we mean anything by »Providence, It is no longer difficult to understand, for we can see the Hand leading, guiding, arranging, weaving the tangled, ; confused threads of human life into the 'grand, clear, noble pattern of Divine purpose.

i It is reported from Zululand that one or more chiefs desire to place themselves and their territory under the direction of John D^unn. It ia feared if this idea id extended, and some chiefs desire to shuffle off their responsibility on others, difficulties may arise. The Zulus generally are faid to be dianatisfied with the arrangements made for the future government of their country, and have 6xpr eased a preference for white men aa rulera. Bagat and Beaver have left Cape Town, with two well-stocked waggons, on a journey through Africa. Their destination is Suez. It is estimated the trip will occupy about four years. A consignment of oranges and lemons, packed in Bawdust, reached London from ' Adelaide in perfect condition. , The venture yields a fair return to the grower, , '.■;..,'

Shalt shoio vs how divine a thing ■ ■ ' ' ' A ieoman may be made: l ' * ' J ' ' ' i. ■■ .' . ,«' •-' .-Wordsworth. '